The Boy with the Bread
by MisticKiwi
Summary: A retelling of The Hunger Games from Peeta Mellark's point of view. What was going through his mind when he was willing to sacrifice everything he had, including his life, for Katniss? Will Katniss ever fall for him? Or will she always see him as that boy with the bread? *Some quotes are taken directly from the novel to stay in sync with events seen from Katniss's point of view*


My life hasn't been as easy as most people think. Sure my family makes bread, but it doesn't mean I get any fresh food. Actually it's the opposite. I only get to eat the bread that's been sitting out too long, or the bread that was dropped on the floor, or the batch that didn't come out properly. In my mother's eyes, money was more important than whether or not we enjoyed what we ate.

My mother has always been a very harsh person. If I made any mistakes in the bakery I would get a beating. If I caused any trouble at school I would get a beating. If I wasted any of the fresh bread it was a beating. Those were the worst ones.

I remember one day around 5 years ago was probably the worst beating. I was in the back of the bakery and I heard my mom yelling at the door and it caught my attention. The yelling isn't what caught my attention. I was used to hearing that. The strange part was that for once she wasn't yelling at me.

I ran up behind my mother to see what was going on. My mom was yelling at a young kid, probably around my age. She was digging through our garbage. It seemed fine to me, it's not like we were going to use whatever was in there. But of course my mom wouldn't let anyone benefit from anything that wasn't their property. Even if it was just garbage.

The stopped picking through the trash as my mom's words hit her. My mom went back to the back of the bakery to check on the bread. I was about to follow her but I took a closer look at the kid. I froze. This wasn't a homeless child. It was Katniss Everdeen. The girl I've had a crush on since I was five. Why was she picking through the garbage? Did she need food?

Her gaze met mine and I could see her trying to figure out who I was. We weren't really friends, we still aren't. I've always liked her, but I never had the courage to really talk to her. She sulked away to where we kept the pigs and she leaned against our apple tree. She looked so sad. So helpless. So hungry. There had to be something I could do, anything to help her. To finally let her know how I felt, or at least say hi to her. I glanced at the pigs and suddenly I came up with a plan. It was stupid. It was painful. But I wouldn't change a thing I did that night.

I went back into the bakery and went over to the fire where the bread was cooking. There were three loafs sitting on a pan over the fire. That would have to do. My mom was busy rolling out the dough for the next batch. That was my chance. I picked up the pan and lowered it, letting the fire reach up and touch the bread. Within a minute the outside of the bread was black. I quickly pulled it out and put it on the table. I took a minute to take a deep breath. Nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen.

I tapped my mom on the shoulder to get her attention. "Mom, I made a huge mistake! The bread is ruined!"

My mom spun around with an annoyed look on her face. She hated it when I interrupted her work. Her eyes moved from me to the burnt bread. Suddenly her face went a deep red. Her eyes went back to me. There was a rage there I hadn't seen before.

"I work all day on this dough and your only job is to watch it over the fire and you can't even do that right!" I started to shake, scared of what could happen next. She just kept yelling and yelling. I couldn't keep eye contact with her, so I looked away. Bad mistake. She thought I had stopped paying attention. She grabbed the rolling pin she was using and smashed it across my face. I fell to the floor, trying not to cry.

"Feed it to the pig you, you stupid creature! Why not? No one decent will buy burned bread!"

Perfect. It was hard to feel any sort of success but my plan worked. I took the bread to my room first, where I tried to calm down. I was uncontrollably shaking and my face was throbbing. A minute later I walked outside towards the pigs.

My mom was watching me as I started to tear pieces off of the first loaf of bread and throw them in the trough. The front bell of the bakery rang so she had to leave to help the customer. Perfect. Everything was working out perfectly. I took one more look at the bakery to make sure my mom was gone. Then I did it.

I tossed the first loaf over to Katniss. I wanted to go over and talk to her but I couldn't. I just couldn't build up the courage to do it. I tore off another piece of the first loaf and threw it in the trough. _Come on, I can do this. Just go over there and say hi. Why is this so hard?_

No matter how much I tried to encourage myself, I just couldn't do it. There was nothing I could say to myself to build up the confidence to talk to the girl I liked. I tossed her the third loaf of bread, threw the rest of the first loaf in the trough and walked back to the bakery. I remember thinking to myself, _Coward. That's what I am. I can't even talk to a girl. I can't do anything right._

That was the only time I've ever interacted with Katniss. I catch a glimpse of her as she walks by me now, about five years later. I'm still crazy about her. She still doesn't know I exist. We are all lining up for the reaping. I find my place in line, take one last look at Katniss and face forward. The mayor comes on stage and gives his usual speech. I'm not even paying attention. I just want this day to be over. So I can go back to being invisible. Back to secretly loving Katniss. Back to my life.

Effie Trinket comes on stage next. She looks like an alien, but most people from the Capitol do. Again I can't stay focused on Effie. I look over to Katniss, but she's not looking at me. No. She's looking at him. Gale. That's who she loves. Not me. How could she ever love me?

Suddenly I snap back to the stage and Effie is already picking a tribute for the girls. I pray it isn't Katniss. I would do anything to protect her. To keep her safe. But I can't. A male can't volunteer as tribute for a female from the district. So I sit there, unable to do anything. I feel completely helpless as Effie pulls out a slip of paper. She unfolds it as the crowd goes silent.

"Primrose Everdeen."


End file.
